Puri: A day after the prepared auto-rickshaw and taxi services were launched at the railway station here, the services came to a halt with the auto-rickshaw drivers’ association strongly protesting the move.
The auto-rickshaw drivers opposed the engagement of a private party for managing the prepaid auto-rickshaw service. The prepaid service remained suspended throughout the day causing considerable inconvenience to tourists and passengers.
The visitors coming from different places had to wait for several hours at the prepaid auto-rickshaw counter and return disheartened. They came out of the railway station by walking and boarded auto-rickshaws from outside.
According to sources, the police directed the auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers to keep their vehicles in queue near the prepaid counters Friday. However, despite repeated warnings of the police, none of the auto-rickshaw drivers kept their vehicles on the station premises.
The auto-rickshaw drivers raised questions over the rate chart. “The rate chart was prepared without consulting us,” said Puri Dham Auto-rickshaw Drivers’ Association president Srikant Parija. “We are opposing engagement of a private player to manage the prepaid service,” he added.
“None of the auto-rickshaw driver will pick passengers from the railway station until the private party is disengaged,” Parija said.
In the afternoon, a representative of auto-rickshaw drivers met superintendent of police Sarthak Sarangi and demanded disengagement of the private party from managing the prepaid service. Sarangi assured to review the rate chart in a meeting to be held December 22, Parija said.
PNN
